Principles for Better Practice
Make the practice game-specific and use the Game Sense approach frequently
- Games are enjoyable for the participants and the learning transfers well to the player’s performance in matches.
Keep practices short and frequent
- Variety in activity will assist in maintaining the player’s interest level and will improve their learning as well as the sessions more fun.
Make maximum use of equipment, facilities and assistants
- The less time that players spend waiting around, the more time they get to participate and learn. This will make your sessions more fun and allow the players to get the maximum benefits of both learning and physical activity.
- Coaches should aim to have maximum player involvement in all activities.
Provide proper feedback and correction
- Coaches must not forget their role of providing proper corrective feedback during all skill practice. This will ensure that players continue to improve their skills at every session.
- Feedback must be considered and planned. Coaches should not rush into providing feedback until they have thought about the message and how they plan to deliver it.
Make sure that the players achieve reasonable success at every session
- It is important that all players leave each session having felt that they have achieved and improved. Coaches can ensure that this occurs through providing appropriate positive feedback and planning sessions so that players complete each session on a successful note.